Chapter 084
Chapter 84: The Essence of Star Method
Wang Jie reached into his pocket and realized he was running low on money.
Jiang Cai immediately added, “Master, don’t worry. This is what the Tower Master instructed before leaving. If you want to buy anything, feel free to pick it out.”
Wang Jie sighed, “The expenses have been too high. If I had known, I wouldn’t have bought so many cataclysm materials before.”
Just stepping outside had already cost him 450,000 star stones. Puppet Master Lou had taken 130,000.
Was spending money this fast normal?
It mainly came down to the extravagant items he had bought. The storage ring he had acquired was even better than Wen Zhao’s—there were hardly any in the Silver Radiance Empire that could compare. The formation book was the same; who could afford such things?
Upon returning, he found Berserk Clan creatures waiting for him. Seeing them, he almost saw them as walking gold mines. After all, there was still much to buy: star sealing stones, star artifacts, and, of course, more formation books. He could always use more of those, not to mention the cataclysm materials.
Money was running out fast.
“Master,” a Berserk Clan creature spoke, “Our clan has discussed it. If you are willing to craft two hundred weapons for us, we will offer this item as payment.” As they spoke, they pressed a button on their personal terminal, and a hologram flickered to life.
Seeing the Berserk Clan creature operate the terminal was strange to Wang Jie. Even stranger, the number had increased—two hundred weapons?
The hologram displayed a yellowed book with only a few pages, exuding an ancient aura.
“This is the essence of Star Method.”
Wang Jie was taken aback. “What?”
“The essence of Star Method.” The creature’s tone had changed, as if this item was incredibly valuable.
Wang Jie wasn’t sure how much it was worth, but anything related to the Star Method was bound to be significant.
The Star Method—he recalled it well.
Shu Mu Night’s use of Star Method was nothing short of legendary. If he could learn it too, his combat power would soar.
“Can this teach me the Star Method?”
“We don’t know,” the Berserk Clan creature replied. “But this item comes from a powerful Star Method cultivator. Although our Eight Prison Berserk Clan doesn’t practice the Star Method, we’ve kept this object in our possession and never let it leave. Now that you are here, it would not be dishonorable to offer it to you.”
Wang Jie slowly spoke, “Giving me a book that may not even help me practice Star Method—what’s the point?”
Before the Berserk Clan creature could respond, Wang Jie continued, “But since your sincerity is clear, I’ll make a deal. Three times the price, plus this essence of Star Method, and I will craft the weapons for you at the fastest possible speed. But how many I can complete is uncertain.”
The creature’s tone darkened, “Master, wouldn’t that be too high a price?”
Puppet made a gesture, indicating an invitation.
Wang Jie wasn’t worried they would refuse. After all, he knew something they didn’t. The Frost Radiance Sect was about to attack the Ninth Star Chain. The Eight Prison Berserk Clan’s urgency to refine weapons must be because they knew this.
Yan Fu Yu’s attack on the Fourth Defense Line wouldn’t be a simple matter of causing trouble.
Facing war, even if he raised the price four or five times, they would surely pay. After all, they controlled an entire star link, with resources unimaginable to most. But Wang Jie didn’t dare ask for too much, worried they might take an unhealthy interest in him.
The Berserk Clan creature discussed the matter, contacted someone, and then said to Wang Jie, “Master, we are willing to offer four times the price, along with the essence of Star Method, in exchange for your crafting two hundred weapons within three hundred days. Additionally, we promise that if there is time, you can continue crafting for us. Will this be acceptable?”
Wang Jie was surprised to see the pressure had made them raise their offer. “Alright,” he agreed. After all, it wasn’t a loss.
Even if he was asked to refine two thousand weapons, he could manage it in a short time. It wouldn’t be a problem.
The Berserk Clan creature was stunned. Could he really complete them in three hundred days? In the Ninth Star Chain, there had been celestial refinement masters—more than one—and the speed for refining a star artifact was usually one calamity every three days, under the condition of minimal rest. Two hundred weapons would normally require six hundred days.
Was this man’s speed double that of an ordinary celestial refinement master?
Since Wang Jie had agreed, the Berserk Clan creature didn’t say anything further. After all, if he didn’t finish, the price wouldn’t be so high.
They immediately brought the two hundred weapons to Puppet Master Lou, along with two million star stones as a deposit.
Looking at the mountain of star stones, Wang Jie reflected that war certainly made money. Normally, two million star stones would be the total price; now, it was just a deposit. Once completed, he would receive eight million star stones.
After the Berserk Clan creatures left, Wang Jie called Jiang Cai and returned the 130,000 star stones to Puppet Master Lou.
Jiang Cai tried to refuse, but Wang Jie insisted. Whether it was a loan or a gift, the principle had to be maintained.
Then came the task of refining the weapons.
Jiang Cai’s eyes were filled with awe. Two hundred weapons—he didn’t know how long it would take to refine them.
One night.
Wang Jie calculated that he could finish in one night at most. But of course, he couldn’t finish them all that quickly for the Berserk Clan. He would refine them one by one, maintaining a pace of one weapon every day and a half.
As for Mourning Water Art, collecting ten star artifacts was easy for him. He could simply imbue ten weapons with star force to achieve that.
At this moment, Wang Jie was reading the essence of the Star Method.
The yellowed book was made of animal skin, and it felt as if it would disintegrate with a single touch.
He opened it carefully, reading each word and sentence.
By the time he finished, he wasn’t sure whether he’d been swindled. Though it was called the essence, it really was just a brief introduction to the Star Method and its stages. It didn’t offer any detailed usage of the Star Method, essentially explaining what the Star Method was.
The so-called Star Method was a technique for using star force.
A technique, not a skill. But there were similarities. Both could be used in battle, but technique required a much higher level of mastery. The most obvious difference was that skill used star force as a source of power in battle, while the method completely deconstructed star force, recombining it with unimaginable precision, turning the mundane into the extraordinary.
Only by mastering star force to a certain extent could one practice the Star Method.
Typically, breaking through the Star Breaking Realm was the minimum requirement to use the Star Method. Those who could use the Star Method in the Star Breaking Realm were considered prodigies, heaven’s chosen, rare in a century. Full Star Realm and Wandering Star Realm cultivators could also use it, and they too were regarded as talented.
Shu Mu Night was able to use the Star Method at the eighth seal—he was beyond evaluation.
The more Wang Jie learned about the universe, the more he realized how shocking it was that he had defeated Shu Mu Night.
Thinking back to those three battles, no one would believe it if he told them.
His gaze returned to the essence of the Star Method. It described the stages of star force mastery, broken down into four steps: One Glance Three Thousand, A Drop Contains an Ocean, Leaves Fall to Star Dome, and Infinite World.
The essence only covered the first stage—One Glance Three Thousand.
One Glance Three Thousand meant that for ordinary people, a drop of star force was the limit. But someone at this stage could perceive three thousand drops of star force. They could break down that one drop repeatedly, seeing three thousand identical droplets of star force. This was the One Glance Three Thousand level.
This was the minimum requirement for using the Star Method.
If one couldn’t reach this level, what they practiced wouldn’t be the Star Method but just battle skills.
Wang Jie pondered to himself: “If I practice Lock Force, can I use it like star force? Can I call it Lock Method?”
Thinking about it, he raised his hand, pulling out Lock Force. It flickered in his palm, a single drop. Could he control it as a drop?
He tried. It was difficult but not impossible.
The challenge reminded him of something familiar. That’s right—yellow beans.
The sensation was like practicing with yellow beans.
Though the goal was different, the method felt similar.
This wasn’t unfamiliar to him.
In just two days, Wang Jie easily split his Lock Force into individual drops, clearly seeing through its essence, and using the description from the essence of the Star Method, it was the “One Glance Three Hundred” level.
To practice the Star Method, one had to reach the One Glance Three Thousand level. Three hundred versus three thousand didn’t seem like a huge difference, but Wang Jie knew the difficulty would increase as he progressed.
Many things got harder as you went along.
But this training method was complementary to his cultivation, making it twice as effective.
Then, someone came to visit. “Brother, are you in?”
Wang Jie looked toward the courtyard. Bei Feng? It seemed like he couldn’t resist anymore. Wang Jie knew this guy would find a way to get him to take him outside.
“Ah, Brother Bei Feng, come in.”
Bei Feng stepped into the yard, clearly hoping to use Wang Jie to help him go out. With the deadline approaching, the war was about to begin, and this mission was critical. It was his first task, and it could not afford to fail. Even if it cost a little, he was willing.
“What? A second-level star artifact?”
Just moments ago, Bei Feng had asked Wang Jie to take him out for a walk again, but was refused. Wang Jie had the same reason—he didn’t want to break the rules, even though Bei Feng had already gone out several times.
Wang Jie sighed. “If you really need something, it’s fine.”
Bei Feng gritted his teeth, his voice tinged with a bit of pleading, “Brother, you can go out anytime. Just take me with you. I’m really anxious. I’m not asking for a second-level star artifact or anything.”
A second-level star artifact wasn’t something you could just give away. Even as a direct disciple of the Frost Radiance Sect, Bei Feng couldn’t just hand one out.
Wang Jie was curious. “Puppet Master Lou said that the Frost Radiance Sect was concerned that someone from the Eighth Star Chain might have infiltrated. But you, Bei Feng, are not at the Ten Seal level. Why can’t you go outside?”
Bei Feng’s face became bitter. “I don’t know either.”
Wang Jie grew serious. “That means the situation is worse than we thought. There’s a lot they’re not telling us.”
Bei Feng clenched his fists. “But just to go out for a stroll, it costs a second-level star artifact. Isn’t that too much?”
Wang Jie turned, opening the courtyard door to show Bei Feng out.
Bei Feng agreed reluctantly.
Wang Jie had obtained the second-level star artifact—a bell, large enough to shield him from danger, and most importantly, if it was launched into space, it could carry him along, though not under his control. At least it would prevent an immediate death.
It was a precious opportunity for survival in the universe’s harsh environment.
Bei Feng was angry but helpless, wearing a forced smile.
As they walked through Green Mountain City, Wang Jie kept introducing the surroundings. Bei Feng, however, was subtly guiding them toward the task site. Wang Jie understood, and he wanted to take a look himself.
Passing by the task site, Bei Feng’s expression changed.
It was here.
The meeting point for the mission had arrived.
There were markings.
At that moment, Wang Jie noticed the mark as well. It was a place he had been to many times, and the environment was deeply etched in his memory. This mark had only recently appeared, and it was out of place. Just a second ago, Bei Feng’s energy had shifted, and he was rattled. It was clear that the mark had caused his disturbance.
It turned out that the task site was wrong from the beginning. They were all just pawns for the real mission.
This was the true location.